Update on Hill East Boys and Girls Club – A New Developer with a New Plan

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Update on Hill East Boys and Girls Club – A New Developer with a New Plan

by Larry Janezich

Posted October 6, 2021

Tuesday night, DMPED Development Manager Chris Todd introduced Morningstar Community Development as the new developer of the Hill East Boys and Girls Club.  The occasion was the virtual meeting of ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee, chaired by Commissioner Corey Holman. 

Morningstar succeeds Century Associates who was first awarded the contract but who was not able to find a way to make its proposal economically viable before the City Council-imposed time limit ran out.  When that happened, DMPED turned to the second responder to their 2017 RFP. 

The new plan anticipates redevelopment of the site as condos for multi-generational families.  Morningstar is proposing 32 to 35 units (11 affordable at 50% and 80% AMI), 2000 plus s.f. of commercial space for community use, and 11 below grade parking spaces.  The developer calls  the entire project workforce housing; the balance of the units will and top out at 120% AMI, a price range which  Morningstar says is typically below market value. 

The breakdown of all the units is as follows:

• 8 – One bedroom
• 14 – One bedroom with den
• 11 – Two bedroom
• 2 – Three bedroom

Pricing of the 30% – 50% affordable housing breaks down as follows:

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Commissioner Alison Horn Horn questioned the developer about the lack of 0% – 30% AMI affordable units.  The architect for the project said that they had found homeownership very challenging for units under 50% AMI; that expenses related to maintenance and repair tend to exceed family budgets below 50% AMI – especially from 0% – 30% AMI. 

Since the disposition authority for the city-owned land has expired, the project will have to go back before the City Council to renew that authority – DMPED says they hope to do that by year’s end.  After that, the project will require a change in zoning, since the current RF-1 zoning limits conversion to apartment use. 

Other projects which Morningstar developed include Stanton Tower Condos (the converted church overlooking Stanton Park), Parkway Overlook Apartments in Congress Heights, and Chapman Stables in NOMA.